New Italy museum at risk

ONLY months from the 125th anniversary of New Italy, the New Italy museum near Woodburn is threatened with closure because of a shortage of volunteers.

New Italy management committee member Sil Gava said the existing managers of the New Italy complex were leaving and the search was on to find a new manager and more volunteers.

The New Italy complex marks the site of one of Australia's first big Italian communities ? where Italians rescued by the Australian Government from Noumea and an island off Papua New Guinea settled in 1881.

The New Italy museum started as a peace park tribute to the migrants in the 1930s and slowly expanded into the existing complex. It includes the peace park, Italian and Aboriginal museums, a community function hall, cafe, restaurant, caretaker residence, a driver reviver stop and the Italian pavilion from Brisbane's Expo '88.

Mr Gava said the committee needed people with ideas on how to develop the site further ? some suggestions so far had included a motel or caravan park ? to ensure the museum continued.

The New Italy management committee will hold a public meeting to gather help and look for ways to save the museum at the Italo Australian Club, Barrow Lane, North Lismore, on December 5 at 6pm.

The committee is also preparing to celebrate New Italy's 125th anniversary on April 9 next year.